Germantas Kneita
The NBA gets the week started with a strong 8-game slate for us on Monday. The highlight of the night’s action will be live on NBA TV as the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. This will be an immediate rematch between the teams, with the Thunder coming out on top last night. If they can do so once more, they will tie the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA. You can find out our Timberwolves vs Thunder prediction as well as our NBA picks for the rest of tonight’s big matchups. But for now, let’s dive into today’s best NBA player props.
Jamal Murray (DEN) over 2.5 made threes (+105)
Odds available at Bet365 at time of publishing.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been on fire from beyond the arc of late. Over his last 5 games, he has not shot below 46% in any of the contests. In the process, he has knocked down 27 three-pointers, averaging 5.4 per game. It has encouraged him to take more shots from downtown, with 3 straight games of at least 10 attempts. Considering that before this stretch, his last game with double-digit three-point attempts was in November, it points to the Nuggets looking to actively have him be more aggressive from beyond the arc.
He will be up against the Indiana Pacers tonight, which should prove to be a favorable opponent. They are 20th over the last 10 games in opponent three-point percentage while also being in the top 10 of the league in pace. With the increased number of possessions the tempo should create, Murray will likely have no shortage of opportunities to let his shot off. The fact the total line is set at 245.5 also indicates that there are tons of points expected in this one, and Murray should be able to contribute at least 9 of those from the three-point line.
Read our full Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers prediction
Nic Claxton (BKN) over 3.5 steals & blocks (+128)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Nic Claxton has been a huge part of the recent success the Brooklyn Nets have been having. While he hit a game-winning buzzer-beater to lift them over the Philadelphia 76ers in their last outing, what has been standing out the most are his defensive numbers. Over the last 5 games, Claxton has been able to record at least 4 combined steals and blocks in every single game. That includes 13 blocks over his last 3 games alone.
Claxton will be up against a Washington Wizards team that is 21st in opponent steals per game over the last 10 contests. He is averaging close to a steal per game during that stretch but going up against a turnover-prone team should mean he has a real chance of collecting a couple tonight. With the Wizards’ 2nd overall pick Alex Sarr taking to the floor, Claxton should get plenty of opportunities to play the role of disruptor as the hosts look to feed their rookie to help him gain experience. Look for that to reflect in Claxton’s defensive numbers tonight.
This Nets vs Wizards matchup features in our expert NBA parlay picks for tonight at +833 odds!
